Threading the Needle

At twenty-seven, having fled an abusive marriage with little more than her kids and the clothes on her back, Ivy Peterman figures she has nowhere to go but up. Quaint, historic New Bern, Connecticut, seems as good a place as any to start fresh. With a part-time job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and budding friendships, Ivy feels hopeful for the first time in ages.

But when a popular quilting TV show is taped at the quilt shop, Ivy's unwitting appearance in an on-air promo alerts her ex-husband to her whereabouts. Suddenly, Ivy is facing the fight of her life--one that forces her to face her deepest fears as a woman and a mother. This time, however, she's got a sisterhood behind her: companions as complex, strong, and lasting as the quilts they stitch. . .

Praise for Marie Bostwick's A Single Thread

"Enjoy this big-hearted novel, then pass it along to your best friend."--Susan Wiggs

"By the time you finish this book, the women in A Single Thread will feel like your own girlfriends--emotional, funny, creative and deeply caring. It's a story filled with wit and wisdom. Sit back and enjoy this big-hearted novel, and then pass it on to your best friend."--Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

"Marie Bostwick beautifully captures the very essence of women's friendships--the love, the pain, the trust, the forgiveness--and crafts a seamless and heartfelt novel from them. Evelyn, Abigail, Margot, and Liza are as real and endearing as my own closest friends, and as I turned the last page I felt that sweet, satisfying sorrow in having to say goodbye that marks the work of a writer at the top of her game." --Kristy Kiernan, author of Catching Genius and Matters of Faith

"Bostwick makes a seamless transition from historical fiction to the contemporary scene in this buoyant novel about the value of friendship among women. . ..Bostwick's polished style and command of plot make this story of bonding and sisterhood a tantalizing book club contender." --Publishers Weekly

Christmas is fast approaching, and New Bern, Connecticut, is about to receive the gift of a new pastor, hired sight unseen to fill in while Reverend Tucker is on sabbatical. Meanwhile, Margot Matthews' friend, Abigail, is trying to match-make even though Margot has all but given up on romance. She loves her job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and the life and friendships she's made in New Bern;she just never thought she'd still be single on her fortieth birthday.

It's a shock to the entire town when Phillip A. Clarkson turns out to be Philippa. Truth be told, not everyone is happy about having a female pastor. Yet despite a rocky start, Philippa begins to settle in--finding ways to ease the townspeople's burdens, joining the quilting circle, and forging a fast friendship with Margot. When tragedy threatens to tear Margot's family apart, that bond--and the help of her quilting sisterhood--will prove a saving grace. And as she untangles her feelings for another new arrival in town, Margot begins to realize that it is the surprising detours woven into life's fabric that provide its richest hues and deepest meaning. . .

"This is one very talented writer. . .watch her star rise!" --Debbie Macomber

While New Bern, Connecticut, lies under a blanket of snow, the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop remains a cozy haven for its owner, Evelyn Dixon, and her friends. Evelyn relishes winter's slower pace--besides, internet sales are hopping, thanks to her son Garrett's efforts. In addition to helping out at the shop, Garrett has also been patiently waiting for his girlfriend, Liza, to finish art school in New York City. But as much as Evelyn loves Liza, she wonders if it's a good idea for her son to be so serious, so soon, with a young woman who's just getting ready to spread her wings. . .

Liza's wondering the same thing--especially after Garrett rolls out the red carpet for a super-romantic New Year's Eve--complete with marriage proposal. Garrett's the closest thing to perfect she's ever known, but what about her own imperfections? The only happy marriage Liza's ever seen is her Aunt Abigail's, and it took her decades to tie the knot. Soon, Liza is not only struggling with her own fears, but with the mixed reactions of her friends and family. And when she finds herself torn between a rare career opportunity and her love for Garrett, Liza must grasp at the thinnest of threads--and pray it holds. . .

It's a long way from Fort Worth, Texas, to New Bern, Connecticut, yet it only takes a day in the charming Yankee town to make Evelyn Dixon realize she's found her new home. The abrupt end of her marriage was Evelyn's wake-up call to get busy chasing her dream of opening a quilt shop. Finding a storefront is easy enough;starting a new life isn't. Little does Evelyn imagine it will bring a trio like Abigail Burgess, her niece Liza, and Margot Matthews through her door. . .

Troubled and angry after her mother's death, Liza threatens to embarrass her Aunt Abigail all over town unless she joins her for quilting classes. A victim of downsizing at the peak of her career, Margot hopes an event hosted by the quilt shop could be a great chance to network--and keep from dying of boredom. . .

As they stitch their unique creations, Evelyn, Abigail, Liza, and Margot form a sisterhood they never sought--but one that they'll be grateful for when the unexpected provides a poignant reminder of the single thread that binds us all. . .

Praise for the Novels of Marie Bostwick

Fields of Gold

"A touching story."--Patricia Gaffney

"Gripping, heartwarming."--Dorothy Garlock

On Wings of the Morning

"Will set your heart to soaring!"--Debbie Macomber

Welcome to Too Much--where the women are strong-willed and the men are handsome yet shiftless. Ever since Mary Dell Templeton and her twin sister Lydia Dale were children, their Aunt Velvet has warned them away from local boys. But it's well known that the females in Mary Dell's family have two traits in common--superior sewing skills and a fatal weakness for men.

While Lydia Dale grows up petite and pretty, Mary Dell just keeps growing. Tall, smart, and sassy, she is determined to one day turn her love of sewing into a business. Meanwhile, she'll settle for raising babies with her new husband, Donny. But that dream proves elusive too, until finally, Mary Dell gets the son she always wanted--a child as different as he is wonderful. And as Mary Dell is forced to reconsider what truly matters in her family and her marriage, she begins to piece together a life that, like the colorful quilts she creates, will prove vibrant, rich, and absolutely unforgettable. . .

Advance Praise For Marie Bostwick's Between Heaven And Texas

"Brilliant. . .the characters thunder with life right off the page and into your heart in this quintessential story of family, forgiveness, and nobility. I just adored every single page!" --Dorothea Benton Frank, New York Times bestselling author

"This book wrapped around my heart with all the love, warmth, and beauty of a favorite family quilt. I can't stop thinking about it! I'm in love with Mary Dell Templeton, and I'm in love with Too Much, Texas." --Robyn Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"A book that brims with laughter and laser-sharp insight." --Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

"With Texas-sized helpings of humor, charm, and sass, this tale will put you in a Lone Star state-of-mind!" --Lauren Lipton, author of Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

Morgan Glennon's destiny points straight up into Oklahoma's clear, blue sky. It's been that way since he was four years old, imagining the famous flier father he's never met. Morgan leaves college to enlist as a Navy pilot, and his whole world suddenly changes when America goes to war. Watching his friends fall in battle, robs Morgan of the joy he always felt in the air. It will take one very unusual woman to help him get it back...

Georgia Jean Carter learned early never to rely on a man for anything but trouble. Airplanes are different: they take a girl places most boyfriends can't. Remarkably, the war makes it possible for Georgia to do her part as a pilot. Flying with the WASPs brings a special sense of belonging--yet there's something missing that Georgia doesn't recognize until a brief encounter sets her dreaming about a young flyboy she barely knows...

"A touching story." --Patricia Gaffney

"Captivating and hauntingly beautiful...a true gem." --Romantic Times, 4 ½ stars

"A gripping, heartwarming story." --Dorothy Garlock on Fields of Gold

While New Bern, Connecticut, lies under a blanket of snow, the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop remains a cozy haven for its owner, Evelyn Dixon, and her friends. Evelyn relishes winter's slower pace--besides, internet sales are hopping, thanks to her son Garrett's efforts. In addition to helping out at the shop, Garrett has also been patiently waiting for his girlfriend, Liza, to finish art school in New York City. But as much as Evelyn loves Liza, she wonders if it's a good idea for her son to be so serious, so soon, with a young woman who's just getting ready to spread her wings. . .

Liza's wondering the same thing--especially after Garrett rolls out the red carpet for a super-romantic New Year's Eve--complete with marriage proposal. Garrett's the closest thing to perfect she's ever known, but what about her own imperfections? The only happy marriage Liza's ever seen is her Aunt Abigail's, and it took her decades to tie the knot. Soon, Liza is not only struggling with her own fears, but with the mixed reactions of her friends and family. And when she finds herself torn between a rare career opportunity and her love for Garrett, Liza must grasp at the thinnest of threads--and pray it holds. . .

After the death of her mother, Elise Braun is sent to live with a new family in the United States and to start a new life. Her father only wants to save his daughter from the impending war in her native Germany--and the horrors of the new Nazi regime. But Elise can only feel a sense of abandonment and resentment toward the one man who is supposed to protect her. An accomplished pianist, music has become her only solace from the loneliness and loss that makes it so difficult for her to love or trust anyone. . .

Devastated by his wife's death, Herman Braun knows that he's incapable of caring for the daughter he loves so deeply. He also knows that Germany is becoming a treacherous country in the hands of a tyrant, one he must defy at any price--even the price of sending his daughter away to a strange new land. It's a choice that may cost him his family--and his life.

Now, with the war over, Elise has grown into the beautiful and brave young woman her father always hoped she would be. But underneath the polished façade, she remains torn between her love for her adoptive home and the heartbreak caused by her homeland. As she struggles to find her place in a harrowing new world, she must also learn to acknowledge her love for her father, the man who traded his happiness for her own. . .

Evangeline Glennon knows plenty about life's highs and lows. Still, she feels lucky, surrounded as she is by people who care deeply: Papa, who's never lost his Irish brogue or the twinkle in his eye; endlessly practical, generous Mama; and steadfast best friend Ruby. Romance would be too much for a girl like Eva to expect. Then again, love has a tendency to find those who aren't looking for it. . .

Out of a clear blue sky, a dashing young aviator makes an impossibly gentle landing in Papa's Oklahoma wheat field. After taking her up in his plane, "Slim" leaves Eva with an exhilarating new perspective--and an even more precious gift that changes her forever.

But that's only the beginning. The world is changing, too--and only the strongest in body and spirit will weather what is to come. Now, while tracing from afar the progress of the brave young barnstormer she knew so briefly, Eva stitches her heart and soul into intricate quilts whose images take extraordinary form from the heartbreak and joy of parallel lives. . .

"A lyrical, lush, and lovely novel from a clever and talented new writer." --Jane Green

"A gripping, heartwarming story. . .complete with fascinating characters and a page-turning plot." --Dorothy Garlock

Marie Bostwick Skinner was born and raised in the Northwest. Since marrying the love of her life twenty-three years ago, she has never known a moment's boredom. Marie and her family have moved a score of times, living in eight U.S. states and two Mexican cities, and collecting a vast and cherished array of friends and experiences. Marie now lives with her husband and three handsome sons in Connecticut where she writes, reads, quilts, and is privileged to serve the women of her local church.